Author Notes: Thanks to Hilde for the beta. Part of the Julia Knows Best series. Earlier stories in the series can be found here.

While this story can stand alone, you may find a deeper reading experience by reading the series in order. If you're new to the series, all you need to know is that Gibbs and DiNozzo have been forging a relationship, with the help of Julia. Julia (the mysterious redhead from the show) is Shannon's sister and she and Gibbs are quite close. She's is supportive of Gibbs and Tony getting closer. Her husband Will is military and is overseas and their son Rob is away at his freshman year of college.

Semper Fi

Tony pulled up to Julia’s place at ten of seven, smirking when he realized he was earlier than Gibbs. That wasn’t a problem; Julia wouldn’t really mind. She and Tony talked on the phone a couple of times a week at minimum and they had a good friendship going on. Not only was she Shannon’s sister, and Gibbs’ family, she was quickly becoming one of Tony’s closest friends.

Tony grabbed the bottle of wine he’d brought along and got out of the car, wincing a little as his body protested. Gibbs had given him a hell of a workout earlier. Donuts had turned into Gibbs in his bed, in various positions. Tony had no idea his boss and lover was quite that flexible.

And when Gibbs had headed home a few hours ago, he’d promised a nightcap at his place. Maybe Tony could beg off and try for massages instead. They both had damned good techniques there. After all, that had put the wheels of their relationship in motion. Tony smirked, striding to the door. It was a cool, crisp DC winter night and he shivered a little in his light leather jacket, shifting from foot to foot as he knocked on the door and waited for an answer.

“Yeah? What do you want?”

Tony blinked a couple of times as a young guy his height opened the door. He had been expecting the plump and significantly shorter Julia and not a guy at all.

“Hey,” Tony began with an easy smile. “Is Julia around?”

“Wine delivery? Cracked up but I’ll take it,” the guy said, reaching for the bottle. Tony pulled it in closer to his body and shook his head.

“Not a delivery. Julia invited me over for dinner. Hi, I’m Tony…Tony DiNozzo.” Tony wondered if he had the right house until he heard Julia calling for the guy to let him in and behave himself.

“Oh,” the guy said with a half shrug as he stepped back, letting Tony inside. “Rob.”

Tony blinked a few times as the young man disappeared up the stairs. Shrugging it off, he walked deeper into the house, past the living room and into the huge kitchen at the back of the house. She was at the stove, stirring something in a pot, the tense set of her shoulders making him wonder if she was okay.

“You okay?” he asked, concern deepening his voice. He knew her well enough to be able to read the discomfort in Julia’s body language, not to mention her face.

She shrugged, clearly trying to brush it off before she made a quietly resigned sound, reaching for his hand and squeezing it. “Eighteen years I’ve raised that boy, Tony. Almost nineteen. The boy I sent away to college isn’t the one I got back. He’s been gone so long; he didn’t even come home for Thanksgiving or Christmas and now…”

“Now?”

“He’s like a stranger to me. Angry, mouthy, making all sorts of demands. I miss the little boy I raised.”

“Do you want me to go? This sounds like a family thing and I don’t want to butt in.”

“Please stay,” she implored. “If Jethro sees how disrespectful he’s being, they’ll butt heads and I could use the buffer. Anyway,” she added with a small smile, “you’re almost family.”

Tony nodded, pulling her close and resting his chin on her head. “I’m here then. Can I help you with anything?”

“I’m good. The bread is warming, the stew will be done in twenty more minutes, and I made an apple pie for dessert. It is cooling right now.” Julia pulled back, biting her lip and sighing. “Tony, there is something you need to know about Rob. I didn’t know it myself until he arrived this afternoon.”

“What is it?” he said quietly.

“He’s apparently quite intolerant of a lot of things. Authority, his teachers, the military, the war. Alternative lifestyles…” She trailed off and looked very uncomfortable. “This is a new development, from everything I know about my son. It might be wise for you and Jethro to act like boss and employee while he’s around.”

“No.”

Both Tony and Julia whirled around to find Gibbs in the doorway. He had entered silently, as usual, and Tony had the sense he’d been listening for a while. His jaw was set and his eyes were blazing.

“Jethro,” Julia began, emotion swirling in her eyes.

“No, Julia,” Jethro said firmly. He stalked closer, pulling Julia into a fiercely tight hug, his big hands crushing her to his chest before he released her. “I am not hiding, not here.”

“Gibbs…”

Gibbs put up and hand and Tony stopped speaking. When Gibbs had something to say, it was wise to let him say it. He tended to choose his moments anyway and Tony knew this was important.

“Julia, your house and ours are our only completely safe places for us right now. I’m not going to hide. I’m not going to weigh every word I say and every move I make. Not here. If Robert has a problem with it, Robert can deal with me man to man. From what you just told Tony, we’re going to have a hell of a lot to talk about anyway.”

“Jethro, I had hoped…”

“Me too,” Gibbs finished for her. “Not ashamed. Not embarrassed. Don’t know where this is going between me and DiNozzo, but I’m not hiding it. Not here. Not with family.” As he spoke the words, he stared into Tony’s eyes. Tony felt something break away at the conviction in Gibbs’ expression. He’d never had anyone take a stand for him like that before and it felt good. Damned good. He tried to convey his gratitude in a look, only to be met by those blue eyes giving him hope and reassurances Tony wasn’t sure he deserved.

He gave Gibbs a small smile and the other man nodded to him. “Mean that, DiNozzo.”

“I know,” Tony replied quietly. “Feel the same way too.” He was vaguely aware of some movement and the pounding of feet, but with Gibbs’ eyes locked on his, there was no way he could look away. When Gibbs’ thumb came over to trace his lower lip, Tony darted his tongue out, tasting the cool evening on Gibbs’ flesh. Just as he pulled back, an unpleasantly brittle voice rang through the kitchen.